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What we know so far
• Insurrection Act: President Donald Trump warned he might invoke the centuries-old law to deploy US troops to Minnesota as state and federal officials clash over tactics used by immigration agents.
• Another Minneapolis shooting: Law enforcement and demonstrators clashed last night near where a federal agent shot and injured a man after he allegedly assaulted the agent. During the struggle, DHS said two people came out of a nearby apartment and attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle. After the suspect got loose and joined the attack, the officer fired “defensive shots,” DHS said, striking the man in the leg.
• High tensions: Minneapolis leaders are asking residents to remain calm following last night’s shooting, which happened a week after Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent. The shooting sparked nationwide protests and prompted the Trump administration to send in hundreds more agents as part of its coast-to-coast immigration enforcement crackdown.
• Court fights: A judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order after Minnesota and the Twin Cities sued federal officials, claiming the immigration enforcement operation involves warrantless arrests and excessive force. The decision “should not be considered a prejudgment,” the judge said.Allcatch up
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Residents begin their day in the Minneapolis neighborhood where the shooting took place
From Xenix News Maggie Koerth and Lauren Mascarenhas
In the North Minneapolis neighborhood where the shooting took place last night, residents woke up to what appeared to be a relatively normal morning – a stark contrast to the heated scenes on the ground the night before.
Children boarded school buses at the intersections where citizens clashed with law enforcement less than 12 hours earlier, and much of the debris that littered the street had already been cleaned up, leaving only a few remnants behind.
There’s a chill in the air, though much of the snow on the ground melted earlier this week, revealing brown soil peeking through on the neighborhood’s favorite sledding hill at Farview Park – just north of the area where ICE agents shot a man while trying to arrest him Wednesday.
Cut off from much of Minneapolis by highways, the neighborhood feels more like a small, rust-belt town in northern Minnesota than the affluent, quirky neighborhoods on the south side of town.
Community members here are eager to protect one another.
As ICE agents pulled in and out of the parking lot of the local Taco Bell last night, neighbors mobilized to protect the staff, where employees include immigrants and Spanish speakers. Residents took turns standing guard in the cold outside the store until 2 a.m., clutching mylar blankets and hand warmers.
Senate Republican leader casts doubts on use of Insurrection Act
From Xenix News Ted Barrett and Veronica Stracqualursi
Senate Majority Leader John Thune leaves after speaking at a press conference at the US Capitol on January 6 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Senate Majority Leader John Thune downplayed President Donald Trump’s threat to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota over ICE protests and said he hoped federal, state and local officials will restore calm soon.
“I think he’s threatened that other places, other states too. So, I mean, we’ll see what happens there,” the Republican leader told reporters. “Hopefully the local officials, working with not only the federal law enforcement, ICE and other agencies, but also the local law enforcement officials will be able to settle things down.”
He was asked about plans to fund DHS in a yet-to-be passed appropriations bill as some Democrats are demanding language be added to the bill to rein in ICE – something most Republicans oppose.
“That will be the hardest one for sure,” he said of the DHS bill, adding that they might need to pass a continuing resolution for DHS that would keep its current spending levels. “I would say if there were a candidate for a CR, that’s probably the most likely.”
Congress has a deadline at the end of month to pass the remaining spending bills to avert another government shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, meanwhile, appeared to support Trump’s threat to send US troops to Minnesota and said the threat would not put the Department of Defense funding bill in jeopardy.
“I can tell you that Minnesota is out of control. You have local and state leaders who seem to be encouraging violence,” Johnson told Xenix News, adding, “The president’s frustrated about it, and so are we.”
